of maeseille



"UNITED srATEs PATENT anion.

HENRI PABAN, OF MARSEILLE, FRANCE, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ALEXIS GRAWITZ, OF MARSEILLE, FRANCE.

ILLUMINATED AIMING APPARATUS OR THE LIKE.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HENRI PABAN, citizen of the Republic of France, and resident of Marseille, France (post-oflice address 25 Rue de la Darse), have invented a new and useful Illuminated Aiming Apparatus or the like, which improvements are fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention relates to illuminated aiming apparatus or the like, and its comprises an improved process whereby the figures, graduations and other markings provided on apparatus of the character indicated as well as on other apparatus of like nature, are rendered legible at night and, similarly, at other times and under other conditions where they would ordinarily be diflicult if not impossible to read.

It was originally attempt-ed to utilize electric lighting devices for the purpose indicated, but those devices were found to be thoroughly unsatisfactory owing to the liability of the lamps and their wires to be broken, out or otherwise injured during the course of an attack, and at other times when frequent firing occurs. Consequently, such lighting systems wereutimately discarded,

and the markings were outlined directly upon the sights or analogous parts of the apparatus and in some suitable radio-active material which was usually applied upon thin strips of foil which, in turn, were covered with a layer or coating of mica or other transparent material.

In adopting that method, however, the difficulty of constructing and applying the illuminated markings proved so great that only dots or points and straight strokes could be utilized, which were insuflicient to accomplish the required purpose.

The present invention has for its object a method or process whereby the markings, irrespective of their character, are given a degree of luminosity which enables them to be easily read in the dark and which is increased by the contrasting background whereon they appear.

According to the form of the invention which is now deemed preferable, the markings are etched, engraved or otherwise cut at the proper points in the surface of the copper or other metal of which the sight or analogous part of the apparatus or device is Specification of Letters Patent.

constructed, and this cut or engraved surface is then covered or coated with a. thin sired manner, preferably by being deposited electrolytically upon the metal, and since it' is interposed between the radio-active substance and the metal surface, it will prevent any chemical reaction between the two which might tend to dimor otherwise impair the Patented May 2'7, 1919.

Application filed January 4, 1919. Serial No. 269,721. V

luminosity of the radio-active, salt or salts with which, as will be understood, the markings are picked out or outlined .after the coating of silver or other material hasbeen deposited upon the metal. The whiteness of the silver, however, precludes it from offering any vivid contrast to the luminous markings, particularly in daylight, when the markings themselves have a whity appearance; and to overcome this ob-jection the layer of silver is treated chemically, or in some other manner, with a substance or material which will tarnish or darken it, so thatv it will then form a dark or contrasting background on which the luminescent markings will stand out sharply. One way in which this object may be accomplished, is to subject the coated surface to a sulfureting action by placing the sight or other part in a closed receptacle through which a current of sulfureted hydrogen is passed, the operation being facilitated by slightly heating the re ceptacle. Other methods of sulfuration may, of course, be substituted for the one just mentioned, as the invention resides in the step itself in its relation to the preceding steps, rather than in the particular manner in which 'it is carried out; but the method described may be considered for all present purposes as preferred, the action of the sulfur imparting a grayish tint to the silver which shades rapidly into black.

In case the sights or equivalent parts are constructed of a metal other than copper, iron for example,or if they are constructed of a non-metallic substance or material, the surface on which the markings are to be made will first be coated with copper in some suitable way and thereafter treated in the manner above described, the copperized surface having the markings subsequently engraved or etched upon it.

What is claimed, is:

1. The herein-described process, which consists in applying a coating of insulating material upon a metallic surface having markings engraved or cut thereon; outlining the markings with a radio-active material upon the insulating coating, whereby the radio-active material is prevented from contacting with the metal surface; and darkening the said coating, so as to form a background against which the markings stand out sharply.

2. The herein-described process, which consists in applying a coating of insulating material upon a metallic surface; marking outlines in luminous salts upon said coated surface, whereby said salts are prevented from contacting with the copper; and darkening the coating so as to form a background against which the markings stand out sharply.

3. The herein-described process, which consists in applying a coating of silver upon a metallic surface; marking outlines in luminous material upon the silver-coated surface, whereby the luminous material is prevented from contacting with the copper; and darkening the coating so as to form a background against which the markings stand out sharply.

4. The herein-described process, which consists in applying a coating of silver upon a metallic surface; marking outlines in luminous material upon the silver-coated surface, whereby the luminous material is prevented from contacting with the metallic surface; and subjecting the said coating to a. sulfureting action to darken it and thereby form a background against which the markings stand out sharply.

5. The herein-described process, which consists in applying a bright metallic coating upon a metallic surface having markings engraved thereon; outlining the markings in luminous material upon the metal coating, whereby the luminous material is prevented from contacting with the metal surface upon which said coating is applied; and darkening the said coating so as to form a background against which the margins stand out sharply.

6. The herein-described process, which consists in applying a bright metallic coating upon a metallic surface having markings engraved thereon; outlining the markings in luminous material upon the metal coating, whereby the luminous material is prevented from contacting with the metal surface upon which said coating is applied; and subjecting the said coating to a sulfureting action, so as to darken it and thereby form a background against which the markings stand out sharply.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribmg witnesses.

HENRI PABAN.

lVitnesses ALPHoNsE KONIG, JOHN TRACEY.

Copies 0! this patent may, beobta'ined for five. cents each,by' addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. V 

